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Tag: Seyi Makinde

  • ‘We’re revolutionising agric sector’

    ‘We’re revolutionising agric sector’

    Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has reiterated his administration’s commitment to exploring modern technologies to improve and transform agricultural practices.

    He spoke through his deputy, Bayo Lawal, yesterday while receiving, on a courtesy visit, Chinese investors from China Overseas Engineering Group Co. Limited, at the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Ibadan.

    The governor noted that investments in agriculture development and value chain were part of the visions of the current administration to expand the economy of the state and attract more investors.

    He said the state had a comparative advantage in agriculture and had also invested in enablers such as infrastructure and security, calling on the Chinese investors to partner with the state government to guarantee food security, boost agricultural productivity and make the state a hub for agro-industrial processing, which he noted, would generate thousands of employment opportunities and improve revenue drive.

    He said the government would provide an enabling environment to support the investors’ vision of partnering with the state.

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    The Director General, Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency, Dr Debo Akande, appreciated the Chinese team’s vision and mission, which he noted, aligned with the state’s agriculture strategies.

    He said rural transformation, building industrial hubs and development of agro-processing zones in the state were geared towards taking comparative advantages of the state in agribusiness to expand the economy.

    The team lead, who is also the Director, Strategic Services, Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, Abuja, Alhaji Abubakar Yerima, commended Governor Makinde for transforming the state through laudable infrastructural projects and investment in agribusiness.

    The leader of the Chinese team, Ms Dong Gwping, stressed that the team’s intervention was expected to revolutionise the agricultural landscape by stimulating socio-economic growth and development in the state for complete value chain with the provision of Chinese technologies and expertise for partnership.

    The event was also attended by the Commissioner for Trade, Industry, Investment and Cooperatives, Adeniyi Adebisi; Director-General, Oyo State Investment Public-Private Partnership Agency (OYSIPA), Mr Tilewa Folami; permanent secretaries from the two agencies present, Mr Adewale Bolarinwa and Alhaji Kolawole Badmus and the Assistant Director, Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, South-West Zonal Office, Mr Samuel Ajewole, among others.

  • Makinde inspects Fresh FM

    Makinde inspects Fresh FM

    • Governor vows to rejig state’s Fire Service
    • Adelabu, Oyo APC chair, Ajimobi’s wife sympathise with Ayefele

    Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has inspected Fresh FM headquarters in Ibadan, parts of which were destroyed by fire on Friday night.

    The governor, who arrived at the station around 7:30pm, sympathised with the Chairman of the radio station, Dr Yinka Ayefele and the management.

    He said the incident, though sad, had become a wake-up call to the state government on emergency management and fire response, adding that he would sit with the headship of Oyo State Fire Service to rejig the service for a more effective service delivery.

    Makinde, who thanked God that nobody died in the inferno, said the state government would support the station towards ensuring it did not stay off-air for long, as it had proved vital in providing information to residents of the state.

    Ayefele expressed gratitude to Governor Makinde, commending the promptness of his visit to the station, which, according to him, showed he is a caring leader.

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    The Minister of Power, Mr  Adebayo Adelabu, has sympathised with Ayefele over the fire incident that engulfed his radio station.

    This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Bolaji Tunji, his special adviser, strategic communications and media relations, yesterday in Abuja.

    He described the incident as sad and unfortunate.

    The Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Alhaji Olayide Abas, has lamented the late Friday night fire which destroyed the Music House property belonging to Dr. Ayefele, describing it as sad and unfortunate.

    Wife of the late former Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi, Florence, has expressed sadness about the fire incident that occurred at Fresh FM over the weekend in Ibadan.

    She described the station as the pride of Oyo State, cherished by residents for its entertainment value and public service.

    In her statement, she said: “I received with deep sadness the news of the fire incident at Fresh FM, a beloved radio station founded by the renowned gospel artist and broadcaster, Dr. Yinka Ayefele. My heart goes out to Dr. Ayefele, the management, workers and listeners of Fresh FM during this challenging time.”

  • Oyo athletes cry over paltry 30k allowance

    Oyo athletes cry over paltry 30k allowance

    Oyo State athletes have sent a save-our-soul call to Governor Seyi Makinde over what they described as having negatively affected their livelihood and performance, dashing their hope of living a better life.

    A statement issued and signed by the concerned athletes narrated how the government had promised the implementation of the minimum wage, which was supposed to hike their monthly salary to 80 thousand naira, but after years of high promises, they were still receiving a paltry 30 thousand naira.

    The statement reads thus: “We, the athletes of Oyo State, wish to begin by expressing our heartfelt gratitude to His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde, for his continuous support and dedication to sports development in our dear state. Under his leadership, Oyo State athletes have enjoyed unprecedented opportunities to compete, excel, and make the state proud both nationally and internationally.”

     “His investment in infrastructure, training, and athlete welfare has been a source of motivation and pride for all of us. It is on the strength of this appreciation that we humbly bring to the governor’s attention a matter that directly affects our livelihood and performance.”

     “Some time ago, an announcement was made regarding the increase of athletes’ monthly salary from ₦30,000 to ₦80,000—a gesture that filled us with hopes and renewed commitment. Unfortunately, this promised adjustment has not yet been implemented, and we have continued to receive the old salary of ₦30,000.”

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    The statement reads further. “We understand that governance comes with many competing demands, and we deeply respect the challenges of balancing resources. But this increase is not just about money; it is about honouring the sacrifices, discipline, and dedication of Oyo State athletes. Improved welfare allows us to train better, live better, and bring even greater glory to the state.”

    The athletes, however, appealed to the governor and the relevant authorities to look into this matter urgently so that the promise made to Oyo State athletes can be fulfilled. “We remain committed to upholding the honour of our dear state, confident that our governor, a true lover of sports, will once again stand with us.”

    They expressed their belief that with the right support and resources, they could achieve remarkable successes in upcoming competitions. The athletes are hopeful that their dedication, combined with the promised assistance, will elevate Oyo State’s reputation in the world of sports.

  • Makinde opens training for 18,000 teachers

    Makinde opens training for 18,000 teachers

    Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has launched the training of 18,000 primary and junior secondary school teachers across the 33 local governments.

    He has also begun the distribution of instructional training materials and teaching aids to the teachers. The governor said the state government was determined to be abreast of developments in the education sector and to meet universal standards.

    Makinde, represented by Deputy Governor Bayo Lawal at the event held at Emmanuel College, Agbowo, Ibadan, yesterday, added that the programme was part of the government’s commitment to empowering and equipping the educators, who in turn would impart quality knowledge to pupils and students in primary and secondary schools.

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    The intervention programme was facilitated by Global Partnership in Education, sponsored by the World Bank, in collaboration with Universal Basic Education Board (UBEC) and Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

    The governor said the instructional training materials and the teaching aids would foster the capability of pupils and students to compete nationally and internationally and also equip the teachers with modern teaching tools, in line with global educational standards by also adopting up-to-date teaching methods.

    ‎He said: “We have come to demonstrate and make people aware that we are moving in tandem with educational development worldwide. We all know this is a digital age and we cannot afford to be analogue. So, we need to keep our teachers abreast of developments in their sector.

    “These computer tablets that are being distributed will further enhance the instructional capabilities of our teachers.

    “The tablet is well-packaged with several Apps and it is meant for all our teachers in Oyo State; 18,000 in all.

    “This training is going to last about two weeks so that no teacher will feign an excuse or pretend not to know how to operate the tablet.

    “All subjects are included in the tablets. What you only need to do is to open the tab, go to the subject matter and begin to teach our students.

    “It is indeed a teaching aid and will foster capability of our students to compete nationally and internationally because this mode of learning is not reversible. You can’t sit in the classrooms and be taught in analogue form when the age is digital.”

    Appreciating stakeholders in the educational sector, Governor Makinde enjoined the beneficiaries to complement the efforts of the state government through their commitment and dedication.

    “So, I have to appreciate BESDA, SUBEB, TESCOM, Ministry of Education, UBEC and other members of the educational family that have put heads together for our pupils in Oyo State to take advantage of current and technologically advanced methods of teaching,” he said.

    Special Adviser to the Governor on Education Intervention, Chief Suraj Tiamy, said besides the distribution of the instructional training materials and teaching aids, there would be four weeks training for teachers in 16 centres across the state.

    He said the exercise would be monitored to ensure the schemes of work programmed in the teaching aids were in tandem with the curriculum.

    He said: “There are two sides to this intervention; we have the distribution of 18,000 tablets to our primary and secondary school teachers across the local governments.

    “The second is the training for 18,000 teachers across the local governments. So, we have 16 centres where we are training them with professors from our universities in Oyo State.

    “Not only that, we have security for these tablets. We also have the report that we will be conducting on a weekly basis to monitor our teachers to make sure they are teaching our students with the curriculum and all the subjects that are in that tablets, which is aligned to what we have in Oyo State.”

    Chairman, Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr Nureni Adeniran, said the distribution of the teaching aids would hasten teaching schemes and equally enable teachers to impart knowledge to the pupils and students in primary and junior secondary schools across the local governments.

    He added that the educational intervention programme was aimed at ensuring Oyo State teachers were well-equipped in knowledge through digital learning.

    He noted: “This programme is made possible as a result of the programme called Global Partnership in Education, which is being sponsored by the World Bank, in collaboration with UBEC and SUBEB, and it is aimed at ensuring our teachers get the necessary skill in digital learning.

    “We are in a digital age and we are expected to move away from the analogue age. In other words, all these tablets have been built with the lesson plans for some of these subjects in them.

    “A teacher should be able to teach without necessarily writing separate lesson notes because we already have prepared lesson notes. So, it will hasten learning.

    “Also, the tablet will enable any person to take the tablet and teach any subject of interest. It will also enable our teachers to impart knowledge to the pupils.

    “The training is for primary school teachers and some secondary school teachers, which are in the basic level of basic education.

    “This is the kind of training that is expected to upgrade the skill of our newly recruited teachers in teaching even to meet up with global standards.

    “And it is going on virtually in all the local government areas. We have centres in different schools. It is across the state.”

  • You’re a leader with a marked difference, Makinde extols Aare Musulumi’s virtues

    You’re a leader with a marked difference, Makinde extols Aare Musulumi’s virtues

    Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has described the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta states, Alhaji Dawud Makanjuola Akinola (De-Damak), as a religious leader with a marked difference in terms of patriotism and commitment to the development of the state.

    Governor Makinde stated this on Sunday, while felicitating the Aare Musulumi on his birthday.

    The governor, who extolled the virtues of Alhaji Akinola, lauded his philanthropy, his selflessness and passionate interest in everything that will make Oyo State and Nigeria better and greater.

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    He prayed to God to grant the Aare Musulum more years, good health and wisdom to continue to lead the Muslim Ummah and to make a greater impact on society.

    He said, “Today, I join others to felicitate the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta states, Alhaji Dawud Makanjuola Akinola, on the occasion of his birthday.

    “In Alhaji Akinola, Oyo State and Nigeria have been blessed to have a religious leader with a marked difference in patriotism and commitment to nation building.

    “His interest in everything that has to do with the progress, peace and the development of Oyo State has always been top-notch.

    “While celebrating your birthday and giving thanks to the Almighty for the achievements you have recorded over the years and the impact you have made on humanity, I pray to God to grant you more decades, wisdom, good health, and enable you to make more impact on humanity. Happy birthday, sir.”

  • Makinde doubles secondary school teachers from 13,730 to 26,436 in six years

    Makinde doubles secondary school teachers from 13,730 to 26,436 in six years

    • •Govt’s policies on teachers’ recruitment, training have raised stake in educational standard, says SUBEB chair

    The Chairperson of Oyo State Post Primary Schools’ Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), Mrs Olubukola Oladipo, has hailed Governor Seyi Makinde for increasing staff strength in secondary schools from 13,730 in 2019 to 26,436 after just six years in office.

    Mrs Oladipo made this known during a session of Omituntun 2.0 Inter-Ministerial Briefing.

    She said the state government recruited 10,500 teaching and non-teaching workers in the second term of Governor Makinde.

    She said the recruitment had brought about massive improvement in students’ academic performance in internal and external examinations, apart from creating employment opportunities for youths and also improving the standard of living of teaching and non-teaching workers.

    The TESCOM chairperson said the commission had also succeeded in creating additional educational zones for ease of school administration, adding: “Four educational zones were created by the governor for ease of school administration, now adding up to 10 educational zones. We have Ibadan Zone I, II, III, IV, Oyo, Ogbomoso, Kishi, Saki, Eruwa and Iseyin educational zones.

    “We also created the Directorate of Pension and Post Services for effective and efficient service delivery for the TESCOM retirees.

    “We appointed 10 tutors-general/permanent secretaries and a permanent secretary at the headquarters for effective and efficient service delivery in areas of monitoring and supervision of teachers and students.”

    Mrs Oladipo said the commission was also able to conduct the 2017 to 2024 promotion exercises for eligible officers.

    “In 2024 and early 2025, the recruitment of 7,500 teaching and 3,000 non-teaching workers for the improvement in students’ academic performance both in internal and external examinations took place.

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    That gave an opportunity for the employment of youths and this will have multiplier effects of increasing the standard of living of the employed teaching and non-teaching workers.

    “As of 2019 when the governor came on board, the total staff strength was 13,730 and it is encouraging to state that the staff strength has increased to 26,436.

    “The state government has continued to pay running grants to the 695 public secondary schools to ease school administration for school principals,” she added.

    She said the commission had been paying vehicle loans to interested teaching and non-teaching workers of the commission across the 10 zonal offices, noting that it had also introduced e-payment for payment of car loan to ease tension faced by teaching and non-teaching workers, who usually travelled to the headquarters to pick cheques.

    Oladipo said the commission had integrated 2,000 seconded teachers from SUBEB to TESCOM and had continued to ensure that they got job satisfaction and a sense of belonging.

    The chairperson stated that the commission was proposing training for the 695 principals to expose them to 21st century school management techniques.

    She lauded the governor for his magnanimity to the teaching and non-teaching workers of the commission, to whom he had continued to pay salaries as and when due, leave bonuses, 13th month salary and also giving approvals for a number of welfare programmes.

    “It is important to state that the governor has also approved the terminal Grade Level of Teaching Staff to Grade Level 17.”

    The TESCOM chairperson was accompanied by the commission’s Coordinating Director, Revd. A.V. Adesola.

  • Zard, Makinde; CSR awards, CSR pre-contracts?

    Zard, Makinde; CSR awards, CSR pre-contracts?

    There was a function organised by the Zard family for late Chief Dr Raymond Asaad Zard, the departed public face of the Zard Dynasty. Organised by Camille Zard, his son, along with other family members, it also remembered Zard’s brother, Maurice. The occasion was graced by Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and the Archbishop of Ibadan Archdiocese Gabriel  ’Leke Abegunrin. The Archbishop highlighted the huge contribution of Dr Zard through massive employment and especially philanthropy.

    Makinde, who was pleasantly surprised when a six-year-old girl, sweetly echoed his name to applause, praised the late ‘Uncle Ray’ Zard as an astute businessman who contributed massively to the infrastructural road network and to the social and economic empowerment and the entrepreneurial development of millions of youths and families earning him many laurels, including OFR. He commended the Zard’s road construction and chicken industry as having impacted transport reliability and food security.

    As founder and chairman of Educare Trust, I commended Makinde for unhesitatingly  clearing the huge debt of unpaid pensions left by predecessors and for his political sagacity by naming the University of Technology, Ibadan after late Governor Abiola Ajimobi as the initiator of the project, though he was from a different political party.

    It is to be noted that NOT PAYING SALARIES & PENSIONS is an abomination as it disempowers and disembowels the historic solid Nigerian Family and Extended Family structure. When the elders have no money, and petty things like sweets, treats and even birthday presents dry up, the grandchildren and children often manifest their impatience, disappointment, disgust and disrespect resulting eventually in a breakdown of the domestic social order.

    Remember that the EXTENDED FAMILY WAS THE REAL HISTORIC ‘FIRST BANK IN AFRICA’ with internal loans and never-to-be-paid-back borrowing and Fox’s glacier mints and Cabin biscuits in Grandma’s hand or left strategically in one of the thousand Captain cigarette tins under her bed. Grandpa would always have a halfpenny for good grandchildren. Governors who undertake to deliberately not pay salaries and pensions, sap the hierarchal authority of every worker or pensioner family structure. This creates sometimes irreversible financial and mental instability now, and in the future; creates the environment for an army of disgruntled youth who look down on their parents. Being broke can destroy the family through the destruction of the family leading to divorce, domestic violence, unruly youth, suicides and youth who look outwards into the dark streets for peer and moral mentorship leading to drug, sexual and physical abuse and crime.

    Importantly also, the youth affected do not respect the ethics around work. The youth see no value in waking up early in future for work as they have a ringside seat or are participants in the drama around zero income of seeing their parents go and come from work with excuses, empty handed and nothing to show for it.

    So, the disturbed and destabilised youth ask: ‘Why the hype about “get a job” when your job yields no wages or pension? You have to borrow money to go to work, and grandma has to line up in an endless queue for three days and still does not get her pension which is devalued as well?” .

    Note that every government salary and pension feeds multiple families, inside and outside the pension-less home, including domestic staff, drivers, market women, barber, extra lesson teacher, schools, Okada or tricycle etc. So, one salary and pension impacts many lives.

    No doubt, the importance and danger of pension debt and urgency of stabilising the family financial state were known to Makinde when he stepped up with a high sense to political and moral responsibility to pay trillions in pensions owed by his predecessors.

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    Any governor who refuses to pay salaries and pensions is actually shooting himself in the foot, morally and politically and making enemies of the citizens. We thank Makinde for paying past pensions, with our money of course.

    We must remind all governors that paying current salaries and pensions as-at-and-when- due, is routine, normal and not reportable as an achievement or dividend of democracy. We do not hear when salaries and pensions are paid abroad. It is the sacred routine responsibility, not an option, on taking political office,  

    Other guests including myself, highlighted Uncle Ray’s contribution through large financial support for various university projects and NGOs like Educare Trust of which he was life patron. Prof Tim Tayo highlighted his contribution to Rotary International while Zonta International appreciated him also. Dr Zard also supported Nigerwives and in providing braille books for the blind. I pointed out that ‘A FORTUNE NOT SHARED IS A MISFORTUNE UN-FORTUN-ATE!’

    I also suggested to the governor the importance of encouraging CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES to uplift the physical and mental health of students and teachers and that a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) portfolio of past CSR activities by contractors be made part of contract award submission processes. That would bring an avalanche of CSR into schools, hospitals and youth activities. This would fit into government activities through Public Private Partnerships. All governments can easily increase CSR inflows to aid their schools and communities from the private sector by offering annual state based PPP-CSR rewards, recognitions and awards to private sector initiatives to encourage more ‘giving’ so that the CSR heights reached by Dr Raymond Zard may be achieved by a collective effort of widening the net of CSR.    

  • Oyo Assembly okays €55m French facility

    Oyo Assembly okays €55m French facility

    Oyo State House of Assembly has granted concurrent approval to a €55 million concessional loan facility requested by Governor Seyi Makinde.

    The move, according to the lawmakers, is expected to transform Oyo State’s health care sector.

    The facility, sourced through the French Treasury, is designated for the execution of Oyo State Healthcare Project VI.

    A letter conveying the request, dated 11th July 2025, was read on the floor of the House of Assembly by the Speaker, Adebo Ogundoyin, during Monday’s plenary session.

    According to the letter, the state Executive Council had earlier approved the loan, which carries a strikingly low interest rate of 0.0092% per annum, a tenure of 40 years (480 months), and a moratorium period of 15 years (180 months).

    According to the letter, Governor Makinde noted that the funding would support comprehensive reforms aimed at repositioning health care delivery statewide.

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    Some of the key components of the approved facility include: establishment of public-health-relevant services, including emergency treatment, trauma management and intensive neonatal care; full digitalisation of the health care system for streamlined interaction between providers and clients; renovation and equipment of Primary Health Care Centres and Secondary Health Care Facilities and reorganisation of health insurance structures under OYSHIA, (Oyo State’s Health Insurance Agency).

    According to the request, the health care facilities scheduled for intervention are: Flagship Development at Ring Road State Hospital; Advanced Medicine Centre (ICU, Renal Dialysis); Maternal and Child Health Unit and Emergency Medicine Unit, including a Cath Lab and call centre.

    For the Maternal and Child Health: General Hospitals at Iseyin, Eruwa, Kishi, Aremo (equipment only), Oni Memorial Children Hospital and Adeoyo Maternity Hospital (Neonatal Unit) are selected.

    For Emergency Medicine Upgrades: Saki Specialist Hospital, General Hospitals at Igbora, Ogbomoso, Moniya, and Oyo as well as Jericho Specialist Hospital (equipment installation) will benefit.

    Dental and Maxillofacial centres at Dugbe, Ring Road, Eruwa, Iseyin, Ogbomoso, Oyo, Saki, Moniya, Aremo and Apata will be accommodated in the facility.

    Following the reading of the letter, legislators in their contributions commended the administration’s bold initiative, emphasising that the need for improved access to quality health services in Oyo State is long overdue.

    Speaker Ogundoyin praised Governor Makinde’s proactive focus on infrastructure and called for expedited implementation.

  • OID launches 2025 Seyi Makinde essay competition

    OID launches 2025 Seyi Makinde essay competition

    The Omituntun Initiative in Diaspora (OID) has announced commencement of the Seyi Makinde Annual Essay Competition. 

    The initiative reaffirmed its commitment towards promoting youth empowerment and inclusive development in Oyo State through intellectual engagement.

    The annual essay competition invites entries from students across Nigeria, either residents or indigene of Oyo State, between 18 and 35 years. 

    The initiative seeks to encourage critical thinking and innovation around governance, sustainability, leadership, and civic participation; core values that align with the developmental vision of Governor Makinde.

    According to the organisers, this year’s competition allows participants to choose from four thought-provoking topics centered on technology, agriculture, environmental sustainability, and youth leadership.

    Participants must explore how their ideas can contribute meaningfully to Oyo State’s ongoing transformation.

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    The four essay topics include: The topics include: The Role of Youth in Advancing Artificial Intelligence and Technological Innovation for Oyo State’s Development; Holistic Approaches to Advancing Climate-Smart Farming, Promoting Food Security, and Driving Progress Toward the SDGs; Catalysing a Sustainable Future through Visionary Leadership, Youth Innovation, and Civic Engagement; and Mobilising Community Action and Clean Energy Solutions for Environmental Sustainability in Oyo State.

    The competition, open to undergraduates and postgraduates of recognised Nigerian institutions, comes with rewards. 

    The overall winner will take home a ₦1,000,000 cash prize, while the second and third-place winners will receive ₦500,000 and ₦250,000, respectively. In addition, the top 50 outstanding participants will be sponsored to attend the prestigious OID Global Leadership Academy, each receiving a formal certificate of recognition.

    Submissions are to be made in Microsoft Word format, in English, with a word count between 1,000 and 1,500 words. Essays must be original, well-researched, and include references to real-life projects or developments, particularly within Oyo State. 

    Entries must also include valid proof of student status and residency.

    The deadline for submissions is 11:59 PM on September 30, 2025.

    Meanwhile, OID warned that any form of plagiarism or use of AI-generated content will result in immediate disqualification as the essays will be judged based on originality, depth of thought, clarity, and the relevance of proposed ideas to Oyo State’s context.

    The Seyi Makinde Annual Essay Competition, according to the organisers, continues to serve as a platform for young people to contribute to policy thinking, showcase their creativity, and take active roles in shaping the future of their communities.

  • Makinde installs Adegbola as new Eleruwa, promises completion of 48km Iddo – Eruwa road in 11 months

    Makinde installs Adegbola as new Eleruwa, promises completion of 48km Iddo – Eruwa road in 11 months

    Governor Seyi Makinde on Saturday installed Oba Samuel Adegbola as the new Eleruwa of Eruwa.

    The event, which was held at the Eleruwa Stadium, Sango, Eruwa, Ibarapa East Local government, also had in attendance the Deputy Governor, Bayo Lawal, among other top government functionaries, traditional rulers, including the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Sefiu Oyebola, Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, Oba Francis Alao, Okere of Saki, Oba Khalid Oyeniyi, among others.

    At the event, Makinde assured the people of Eruwa that the ongoing Iddo-Eruwa road will be completed in the next 11 months.

    The governor also disclosed that all documentation for the recently launched Eruwa Agribusiness hub has been completed, assuring that the contractors can now move to the site. He, however, noted that the facility has also been renamed the Agricultural Transformation Centre by the African Development Bank, which is supporting the project.

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    The new Eleruwa was initially installed on July 16, 1998, but was deposed in 2019 following a Supreme Court ruling, after 21 years on the throne. He was re-nominated by the kingmakers in 2024 and subsequently unanimously selected by the Eruwa Kingmakers among 18 candidates and appointed by the Oyo State government on March 6th, 2025.

    He retired as a Superintendent of Customs of the Customs and Excise Department in 1998.

    Reacting to an earlier request by the monarch, Makinde narrated how he was jolted by the news of the deposition barely six months after he took over as the governor of the state in 2019.

    He said after all efforts to resolve the matter amicably proved abortive, he said he insisted that a new process must begin and that the error of the past that led to the deposition must be avoided.